Let it grow

Can we interest you in more time in the hammock and fewer hours pushing that mower? Does it ease your conscience to know that less work in the yard can actually help Mother Nature?

“We’re all trying to be more sustainable. We’re all trying to save money,” observes Amy Dabbs, a Clemson Extension horticulture agent. She says that, too often, yard work plays out like a battle for homeowners — a fight to overcome weeds, pests, drought and poor soil conditions.

“People don’t understand their natural systems, so they interrupt them. We’re looking at how you can work with what you have … how you can get more out of your yard without having that combative attitude,” she says.

To demonstrate how your yard can work with nature, not fight it, Dabbs partnered with Natural Resources Agent David Joyner and the Tri-County Master Gardeners to create a Carolina Yard in Ladson — a place where you can get hands-on experience and new ideas for working with nature.

What is a Carolina Yard?

Your Carolina Yard depends, in part, on where you live. “There are variations in temperature and rainfall. There are soil differences. You may have different insects. But you can apply the same principles wherever you are,” Dabbs says.

One of those principles is putting the right plant in the right place. “We encourage people to group plants by water needs and sun exposure and to look at their yard with a critical eye,” Dabbs says. She gives an example: “If the plant needs a lot of spraying, then maybe you should be thinking it’s not the right plant, that there’s got to be a better way.”

Though we’re often tempted to go with the plants widely available at big home improvement chains, one of the best ways to put “right plant, right place” into practice is to use native plants or adapted natives — plants that have grown naturally for many years where you live. These plants are adjusted to your local conditions, need less care and have a better chance of thriving. How do you know if a plant is native to your area? Dabbs says the information you need is online or a toll-free call away. (See Resources box for contact information.)

Get to know your soil this weekend

There’s one step Dabbs hopes you’ll take this weekend: collecting a soil sample for analysis. Clemson Extension provides the analysis for just $6, and Dabbs says collecting the soil is easy to do, with Clemson Extension ready to show you how.

“People should be getting that soil analysis now, because it takes two to three months to change your soil pH,” says Dabbs. “We’ll analyze a two-cup sample, you can tell us what you’re growing, and we’ll give you a detailed report on the nutrients in your soil and what you need.”

Dabbs says soil analysis is not only the starting point for a better yard, but also the best way to create a more environmentally friendly one. “We recommend people do it every year as a precautionary measure, to make sure they’re not over-fertilizing.”

Growing smarter over time

You work less and save more when you design your yard to work with nature. That’s an undertaking that requires planning, research and most likely a budget, but it’s not a job that’s beyond your capabilities or a project that has to cost a small fortune.

It does, however, require that you look at your yard with a fresh eye — and a mind open to the possibility of having a smaller lawn. “The lawn is an aesthetic that Americans enjoy, but I’m looking at my yard, seven acres of woods, and that’s beautiful to me. People really have to look at nature and try to mimic it, not get rid of grass but reduce it a bit, bring in some other plant material,” Dabbs says.

Clemson Extension has created The Carolina Yardstick Workbook, which gives you concrete steps to take. Dabbs understands that homeowners can feel overwhelmed and acknowledges that landscaping and horticulture experts spend years studying. She says the workbook and Clemson Extension workshops are designed to help you roll up your sleeves and dig in.

“Our mission is to encourage people to learn to respond to their yards,” says Dabbs. “Yards that are low maintenance add beauty and value.”